Red meat a luxury? Why Pakistan is turning to chicken

Pakistan’s Economic Survey for FY25-26 shows the country relies heavily on poultry due to a decline in beef and mutton consumption driven by rising prices. Amid disease outbreaks, a volatile market, and export suspensions, the costs of feed and production have increased. Despite these rising prices, low-income and middle-class households continue to rely on chicken as their primary source of protein, as red meat has become too expensive. According to a report by the news outlet Dawn, beef currently costs nearly PKR 1,500–1,800 per kg, while mutton ranges from PKR 2,700–2,900 per kg.

Red meat a luxury?

The poultry sector has shown a consistent annual growth rate of 8% over the past decade. While a modest increase has been observed in rural poultry, the most significant growth stems from commercial production. This structural shift in consumer behavior is further accelerated by rising urban demand for processed chicken products, alongside the rapid expansion of poultry consumption within the fast-food and restaurant industries. Although consumers hope for a drop in poultry prices, the Dawn report recalled that when the Afghan border was shut in October 2025, the price of a live bird dipped to PKR 310–360 per kg, down from PKR 460–540 in September. While beef and mutton prices remain prohibitively high, chicken serves as the most accessible alternative for the majority of the population.

Dawn quoted Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui, Member of the Executive Committee of the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), who said the demand for chicken after Eid ul Adha has dropped as people keep the sacrificial meat in freezers and shall return to the market only after consuming the entire stock.

Key takeaways:

• Red Meat Pricing Crisis: Beef (PKR 1,500–1,800/kg) and mutton (PKR 2,700–2,900/kg) have become too expensive for low-and middle-income households.
• Shift to Poultry: High red meat prices have forced a major structural shift, making chicken the primary accessible protein source for the population.
• Rising Input Costs: The poultry sector faces inflated feed and production costs caused by disease outbreaks, market volatility, and export suspensions.
• Commercial Growth: Industry growth averages a robust 8% annually over the last decade, fuelled primarily by commercial production rather than rural farming.
• Urban & Commercial Drivers: Demand is heavily accelerated by the expansion of the fast-food industry, restaurants, and processed chicken products in urban areas.
• Border Trade Impact: Market prices are highly volatile; the October 2025 Afghan border closure caused live bird prices to plummet from PKR 460–540 down to PKR 310–360/kg.
• Post-Eid Demand Slump: Poultry demand drops sharply after Eid al-Adha as households temporarily consume stored sacrificial meat.